Matt Varilek

Matt Varilek

Matt Varilek serves as president of the Initiative Foundation based in Little Falls, Minnesota. He completed a master’s degree in environment and development at the University of Cambridge in England on a Gates Cambridge Scholarship from the Gates Cambridge Trust. He completed a master’s degree in economic development at the University of Glasgow in Scotland on an Ambassadorial Scholarship from the Rotary Foundation.

November 4, 2021 How a Community Foundation Increased Its Grantmaking Five-Fold To Meet Need

We offered small fundraising challenge grants that coincided with a statewide giving week. As a result, our cohort of small, rural organizations that had little experience with online fundraising was able to raise more than $34,000 in one-week — a notable figure amidst lockdowns and financial uncertainty.